This morning the Security Council of the U.N. dropped the economic sanctions on Iraq. No one is saying exactly what this means for the Iraqi people. Can anyone who knows more about economics than I do (that's *alot* of you guys) explain what this will do? Thanks!

Well just to start off, I think this means the oil for food program is clearly over. Iraq will be able to export and import goods and services independent of UN control of the revenues and monitoring. I think there may still be a Weapons Embargo on Iraq but I have not read anything in more detail about this yet. The Weapons Embargo will have to be lifted as well since the Iraqi military has been almost completely destroyed. At some point in the future, the Iraqi military will have to be rebuilt and rearmed in order for it to protect itself from countries like Iran and Syria. The USA will probably become what the Soviets were to the Iraqi military prior to 1991. But this will be in the context of a democratic Iraq without a dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. It will be a military that is well equiped in defending its borders but NOT one designed for rapid armor offensives into neighbors countries.

Eh...the UN came to an agreement. That's the way the cards fall. I think the Security Council was afraid of looking "irrelevant," and did it more of a conciliatory gesture to try and alleviate Bush's bombastic language of the past few months more than anything.

I was glad to see this burder lifted from Iraq. To me it was a no brainer. I mean, the sanctions were put in place because of Saddam to being with.

I was concerned that debt was mentioned by Negroponte (sp??), the US ambassador to the UN, with virtually no details. Saddam's debts clearly should not be passed on to the civilians of Iraq! What, we're gonna hand them a bill for the torture chambers?? His palaces? Ah don't think so!

"I have been telling the French business leaders I meet that contracts would be honoured, that they should not fear economic retribution and that the climate will improve, provided there is not another clash in the UN Security Council," Leach said.

But in the event of a renewed disagreement over a US-drafted resolution on postwar Iraq, Leach said: "I would indeed be concerned about the state of our relations, including in economic matters."

"That is why it is so important that our two countries succeed in working together on the international stage," he said.

Well, some are saying that the U.S. wants France to help with the war on terrorism, and don't forget, Chirac is basically a "center-right" politico. If I thought about a French politician who was going to trash the relationship with the U.S. it wouldn't be Chirac. It'd be a leftie. At any rate, I personally hope this is a burden lifted from the Iraqi people. They're divided on the issue right now. Isn't this going to make it easier for them to get medicines for their hospitals? Many of their hospitals are in a state of crisis because their supplies got ripped off. This bothers me. The chaos has been pure murder on that country. I really hate it that this stuff is happening to people who didn't do anything wrong, they just had the horrible luck of having a dictator like Saddam.

A compromise that did not involve any of the reasons Russia and France wanted to hold up the lifting of sanctions. It is more of a consession really to the USA, compromise is just putting a nice face on it.

A compromise that did not involve any of the reasons Russia and France wanted to hold up the lifting of sanctions. It is more of a consession really to the USA, compromise is just putting a nice face on it.

They have a petition that you can sign as well as the latest news from the campaign. Thanks!

Yep. And if you're from the US, Jubilee USA also has a letter you should send to Treas. Sec. Snow. Guys, Iraq's debt under international law *clearly* falls into the category of "odious" debt--meaning debt incurred by a dictator and used for purposes of oppression. Canceling Iraq's debt will set the right precedent. NO ONE was surprised to find mass graves and toture prisions. The lenders *knew* where that money was going. At the very least, it was clearly NOT going to the benefit of the people. Canceling Iraq's debt will therefore not only help the innocent citizens of Iraq have a fighting chance to rebuild; it will teach lenders NOT TO GIVE MONEY TO SOCIOPATHIC MURDEROUS DICTATORS!

A compromise that did not involve any of the reasons Russia and France wanted to hold up the lifting of sanctions. It is more of a consession really to the USA, compromise is just putting a nice face on it.

Whatever u call it...
When it comes to serious things like voting on a resolution that legitimises someone else's war, we make no concessions